Vegetable and fruit skin removing device



July 22, 1941. B. N. SAVAGE VEGETABLE AND FRUIT SKIN REMOVING DEVICEFiled Sept. 14, 1939v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 nur N. SNVOE July 22, 1941. B. N.SAVAGE 2,249,787

VEGETABLE AND FRUIT SKIN REMovING DEVICE .Fi1edsept- 14, 1959 2sheets-sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

ny. 2 ,BA/LIE N. SAVAGE' AT; ORNEY.

Patented July 22,' 1941 VEGETABLE AND FRUIT SKIN BEMOVING DEVICE BailieN. Savage, Seattle, Wash., asslgnor to 'Sanitary Food ProcessingCompany, Inc., Seattle, Wash., a corporation of Washington ApplicationSeptember-,14, 1939, Serial No. 294,969

4 claims. (ci. 14s-5o) This invention relates to a skin removing devicefor treating vegetables and fruit to remove the skins or similarprotective coatings. More particularly, this invention relates to such adevice to remove the coating of a vegetable or fruit after the same hasbeen loosened, for example, after the article has been subjected to ashock of heat. Particularly is this devicel adapted to provide means toremove the skins of fruits and vegetables which have been loosened by aprocess, such as that disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent. No. 1,948,884,issued Feb. 2'7, 1934.

For purposes of definiteness of illustration and clearness ofdescription, the invention will be described in connection with thetreatmentl of Irish potatoes (Solanum tuberosum), but it will beunderstood that Vthe invention is not limited to said vegetable only,but is equally applicable to other vegetables and fruits, as carrots,turnips, onions, etc.

The primary purpose of this invention is to provide a means for removingthe skin of Irish potatoes, particularly after the same have beensubjected to a shock of heat.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide rotary spray meansso, that the spray used in the removal of the charred or blistered skinsfrom the potatoes wi1l'successively treat the surfaces of the potatoesand will not impinge for too long a period of time on a particularportion of the potatoes.

It isa further object of the invention to provide a simple, eicient andpractical means whereby the potatoes, which have previously beensubjected to heat, may be subjected to a spray action to aid in theremoval of the charred skins and which spray means will also serve tosuddenly cool the potatoes to prevent further cooking thereof.

It is a primary purpose of this invention to provide means so that thepotatoes are provided with the desired rubbing action against each otherto vaid in the removal of the charred skins or corky layer.

lt is a further primary object of this invention to provide a devicewhere there is a rubbing action between the driven rolls and thepotatoes, which further serves as an aid in removing the charred skins.

.The above mentioned general objects of this invention, together withothers inherent in the same, are attained by the devices illustrated inthe following drawings, the same being preferred exemplary forms ofembodiment of this invention,

throughout which drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts:

' Figure 1 is a side elevation, with parts broken away and parts insection of a device embodying this invention;

Figure 2 isl a sectional view taken substantially on broken line 2-2 ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a detached view, somewhat diagrammatic, illustrating themanner of drivingl the longitudinal rollers;

Figure-i is a detached fragmentary view, with parts broken away and on alarger scale of the the potato reaches' the desired temperature for.

the desired period of time, as about l750 F. for about ve to tenseconds. This has the effect of blistering and charring the thin outerskin, or corky layer of the potato.` The blistered and charred outerskin is adhered to the potatoes.

The `preferable type of furnace to be used is disy closed in my saidco-pending application.

Preferably the heat treated potatoes are delivered from the furnace byway of a chute l2 linto the Skinning device of this invention.

The Skinning device of this invention comprises a housing member i3which is preferably formed of suitable supports and covered with sheetmaterial. It is also preferably provided with a plurality of glasscovered windows or sights M. The

casing or housing I3 may completely enclose the device, except for thesupply opening l5 and potato discharge opening I6. The door level may beconveniently located as at il. 'A plurality of longitudinally extendingrollers Il form a trough-like structure. Preferably' these rollers areparallel -and in section form a semi-circle (see Fig. 2). These rollersl'l are spaced apart so they may rotate independently of each other.Preferably these rollers I1 are driven all in the same direction. Thismay be accomplished by mounting the rollers I'l for rotarymovement inthe housing I3 and extending the rollers Il through an end wall i8. Theusual packing ma-I terial is provided around thel shafts of the rollerperiphery 53.

I1 as they extend through the end wall Il so that oil or other lubricantin the gear box I6 will not leak there past. On the ends of each rollerI1 is provided a gear 20. These gears 26 mesh with a main gear 2|. Themain gear 2| is mounted on a` shaft 22 which is connected to a suitablesource of power, as by link belt means 23 and gear 24. Gear box I9 maybe lubricated in any usual manner, as by oil. rlhe rollers I1 providethe bottom of a trough like means for supporting and turning thepotatoes. As the skins are removed they will be discharged with thewater downwardly through rollers I1 and onto trough 25. The potato skinsand water are discharged from trough 25 to conduit 28.

A separating tank 26 may be positioned at a lower level, vas below theSkinning device. This separating tank functions to separate the removedskins from the water to permit re-use of the water in the washing-skinremoving operation. In view of the high pressure of the water in conduit52 (hereafter described) small particles of the skins will not create aproblem and the water separated from the skins may be ref used. One formof separating device comprises a cylindrical member 21 which has aforaminous 'Ihe cylindrical member 21 is mounted for rotation on bearing29 and rollers 36 (see Fig. 2). One end oi' the cylindrical member 21 isprovided with an opening 3|. 'I'he conduit 28 discharging skins andwater, passes through this opening 3| and into cylindrical member 21.'I'he cylindrical member 21 is rotated by sprocket 3|' and link beltmeans 32 which are connected to any source of power. In view of theforaminous surface 53 of the periphery of cylindrical member 21, thepotato skins will cling through the foraminous periphery 53 ofcylindrical member 21. This loosens and washes the skins into trough 49.The skins and water in trough 49 are delivered via conduit 5| to anysuitable discharge. Preferably clear water is delivered through nozzles50 to eliminate the possibility of plugging the orifices of suchnozzles.

The recovered water from a separating tank 26 is delivered by conduit 34to a pump 35. This pump may be driven by any usual means, as theelectric motor 36. The pump serves to deliver water under pressure,.suchas 120 pounds per square inch to 180 pounds per square inch throughconduits 52 to a plurality of spray nozzles 31. Preferably the spraynozzles are mounted on arms 38 and 38-the arms 38 being of a shorterlength than the arms 39 to provide concentric sprays of different radii.The arms 36 and 39 are connected to packing bearing members which mountthe sprays for rotary movement. Rotary motion to the arms 36 and 39 isprovided by the angular direction of the nozzles 31, much in the fashionof the ordinary garden sprinkling device. However, suitable packingbearing members 40 must be provided in view of the operating waterpressure. l

The rollers I1 are preferably somewhat inclined from the supply openingI5 toward theA potato discharge opening I6. This facilitates movement ofthe potatoes towards the discharge end of the device. As the potatoesare delivered onto the rollers I1, these rollers I1 serve to support andturn the potatoes. A surface is provided on the rollers I1 to increasethe brushing and turning action of the rollers I1 as respects thepotatoes. It has been found that if longitudinally spaced apart fabricmembers, as of canvas, are secured to 'the rollers I1, an economical andpractical operating device may be obtained. Preferably canvas tubularmembers 4I are staggered, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 on the rollers I1.

-These canvas tubular members 4I are preferably frayed at the respectiveends of each tubular member to provide brush like members 46. Brush likemembers 46 will permit a relatively gentle brushing action of thepotatoes and increase the skin removing characteristics of the device.While the invention is not to be limited to the use of canvas tubularmembers on the rollers I1, as obviously other materials will simulatetheir action, the same have been found to be very practical incommercial operation.

Preferably all of the rollers I1 are positioned so that in section theyform a semi-circle. Also the top roller I1 to the left, as shown in Fig.2. is higher than the top roller I1 shown to the right in said figure.Preferably the rollers I1 turn in the direction of the arrows shown inFig. 2A and toward the said higher top roller. 'I'his provides for thedesired turning and tumbling action of the potatoes as the potatoes willclint'b up the higher side and then fail by gravity and continuegenerally in such a cycle. As the potatoes are moving in a circularpath, in view of the rollers I1, and toward the discharge opening I6,they are subjected to the action of the sprays of the nozzles 31. As thepotatoes travel from the supply opening I5 and toward the potatodischarge opening I6, the combined action of the high pressure sprayaction from nozzles 31, the rough fabric from the canvas tubular members4I, and the rubbing action of one, potato against another serves tocompletely remove the outer skin from the potatoes as they tumble overand over in their travel along the trough. Consequently when thepotatoes reach the discharge opening I6, all the skins, with theexception of the deepest eyes or indentations, has been completelyremoved. In order to delay the travel of the potatoes along the rollersI 1, preferably there is provided a dam 42. 'I'he height of the dam 42,the length of the trough formed from the rollers I1, the speed of therollers I1 and the incline of the rollers I1 toward the dischargeopening |6 are all to be coordinated to provide the desiredtime ofprocessing the potatoes for complete removal of the skins, with theexception of possibly the deepest eyes or indentations. After thepotatoes leave by way of the discharge opening I6, they may be deliveredby a chute 43 to other devices and mechanisms for hand trimming any deepremaining eyes, imperfections in the potatoes, etc. After any handtrimming which may be necessary is completed, the potatoes may beexposed to a bleaching and preserving substance, as gas containingsulphur fumes, as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No.1,948,877, or they may be exposed to a liquid material containing likeagents. The sulphurizatlon treatment, of course, is used only to enhancethe keeping qualities of the potatoes as where 'they are not usedpromptly.

As an alternative construction to urge the potatoes from the intake endof the device toward the discharge end of the device, there is shownrollers 44 in Fig. 5, each of which is provided with a canvas strip 45which is helically Wound thereon. The edges of the canvas strip 45 maybe frayed to form a brush like member 41 as shown in said figure. InView of the fact that the rollers 44 and canvas strips 45 thereon may beused to directly supplant the rollers Il in the other figures, o-nly adetail of one roller` 4l!` is shown in said Fig. 5.

It has been found in actual operation that Where potatoes have beenpeeled by hand that the loss will amount to as much as 20 vto 4Q% byWeight. Also much of the mineral and vitamin content of the potato isconcentrated in the inner layer of the skin just below the outside corkylayer. This mineral and vitamin content of the potato is lost where thepotatoes are peeled by hand. On the other hand, where the corky layer oroutside thin skin of the potato is first subjected to a flameasjdisclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,948,884, substantially allthe vitamin and mineral content of the potato is saved. The loss isreduced so that only the corky like thin outer skin is lost. The problemhas heretofore remained in providing some practical remedy in removingthis outside corky layer after it has been loosened by a flame or heattreatment. It was not only necessary to provide a device which wouldremove this outer corky skin, but

would remove it with such regularity and uniformity, despite changes inthe skin condition or changes in the heat treatment, so that the corkyouter layer was uniformly removed. This was necessary in order to reduceto a minimum any hand operation necessary to remove extraordinarily deepeye marks and blemishes. The device of this invention has been found toovercome the problems inherent in the prior art and has provided apractical efficiently operating device.

Obviously, changes may be made in the forms, dimensions and arrangementof the parts of this invention, without departing from the principlethereof, the above setting forth only preferred forms of embodiment.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described for skinning articles ofvegetable .or fruit character, comprising a plurality of parallel drivenrolls; spaced apart fabric cover means xedly secured on each of saidrolls, said rolls and said cover means forming a trough like meansadapted to support and turn thereon articles to be skinned; brush likemeans formed from and positioned between spaced apart fabric covermeans; and water spray nozzle means directed against said rolls andarticles thereon.

2. Adevice of the character described for removing loosened skins fromarticles of vegetable or fruit character, comprising a plurality ofparallel driven rolls arranged to form a longitudinally inclinedtrough-like means;,Y article intake means positioned to deliver articlesto be skinned into.saidtrough-likemeans at a location adjacent thehigher longitudinalportion of the trough-like means; article dischargemeans positioned at a location adjacent the lower longitudinal portionof the trough-like means; and a dam positioned transversely of thetroughlike means and at a location between theintake means and thedischarge means, whereby articles in said trough-like means will becontinuously turned by said driven rolls, will move towards said dam,and the period of retention in said trough-like means may be determinedby the extent of vsaid dam. d

3. A device of the character described for removing loosened skins fromarticles of .vegetable or fruit character, comprising a plurality ofparallel driven rolls arranged to form a longitudinally 'inclined troughlike means; a plurality of spaced apart fabric cover means secured oneach of said rolls; article intake means positioned to deliver articlesto be skinned intosaid trough like means lat a location adjacent thehigher longitudinal portion of the trough like means; article dischargemeans positioned at a location adjacent the lower longitudinal portionof the trough like means; and a dam positioned transversely of thetrough like means and at a loca.-

tion between the intake means and the discharge means, whereby articlesin said trough like means will be continuously turned by said drivenrolls, will move towards said dam, and the period of retention in saidtrough like means may be determined by the extent of said dam.

4. A device of the character described for removing loosened skinsfromarticles of vegetable or fruit character, comprising a plurality ofparallel driven rolls arranged 'to form a longitudinally inclined troughlike means; a spiraliy wound fabric cover means secured on each of thesaid rolls; article intake means positioned to deliver articles to beskinned into said trough like means at a location adjacentthehigherlongitudinal portion of the trough like means; articledischarge means positioned at a location adjacent the lower longitudinalportion of the trough like means; and a dam positioned transversely ofthe trough like means and at a location between the intake means and thedischarge means, whereby articles in said trough like means will becontinuously turned by said driven rolls, will move towards said dam,and the period of retention in said trough like means may be determinedby the extent of said dam.

BAILE: N. SAVAGE.

